Frequently asked questions
Fresno Bridge Center FAQ 559-225-0505 What is bridge? Contract Bridge is a competitive card game of where four players use a standard 52 card deck to take tricks during the play. Partners bid and play attempting to score more points than their opponents. It is considered by some to be a better strategy game than chess as described in this 2015 Wall Street Journal article. http://www.wsj.com/articles/bridgenot-chessis-the-ultimatewar-game-1431899680. The game has two parts; the bidding (also called the auction) and the play of the cards. During the bidding, the players use a type of code communication to decide on a trump suit. During the play, one hand is laid down and one member of the partnership plays both hands. It takes between 3 and 7 minutes to play a hand of bridge. Rounds of bridge involve several hands, depending on the scoring method. What are these scoring methods? The two major types of scoring are Rubber Bridge or Duplicate Bridge. Many people are familiar with family bridge games, where cards are shuffled and dealt out between each hand. These are scored using the Rubber method, detailed on the inserts provided with new decks of cards. A more competitive scoring system is the Duplicate Bridge system, where partnerships play the same hands and scoring depends on the bid and play with each hand. Points are earned with each hand based on the play against each partner. At the end of the round (about 24 hands) masterpoints are awarded based on how well each partnership does against the other partnerships. What does the Fresno Bridge Center offer? The Fresno Bridge Center is affiliated with the American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) where games of Duplicate Bridge are played every day of the week. (Every Monday through Saturday and twice a month on Sundays) Call 559-225-0505 for more information. Master-points earned at the Fresno Bridge Center are recorded with the ACBL and players can earn the title of Life Master after obtaining a sufficient number of points. Bridge is a game of strategy and fun. The Fresno Bridge Center makes efforts to keep the competitive games fun by offering food and variations of the game. ' The Fresno Bridge Center can connect players with local, regional and even national tournaments. Call 559-225-0505. How can I learn to play? The Fresno Bridge Center offers lessons on Saturday mornings and Tuesday evenings. When there is enough interest, lessons can be offered at other times, including in schools (we have some active high school groups playing bridge) or at other times. Call 559-225-0505. What if I know how to play? If you played during school or with family members, you can play in our games right away, but it is recommended that returning players take a few lessons to sharpen their skills before playing in competitive games. What does it cost? Each game (or round) costs $9.00 at the Fresno Bridge Center and lasts about 3 hours. This is about the same as a movie ticket for entertainment value on a time basis. And the Fresno Bridge Center provides snacks and other food free of charge for players. Call 559-225-0505. I don’t have a partner. How do I play? The Fresno Bridge Center can set you up with a partner for individual games. Call 559-225-0505 Who are some well-known bridge players? Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, Deng Xiaoping, Ike Eisenhower, Omar Sharif, George Burns, Jack Benny, and many other winners in business, military and entertainment play bridge competitively. What are similar games? Originally developed from the game of Whist, bridge is similar to the card game of Hearts or Spades |
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